Ballast car



April 24, 1928. 1,667,085

B. W. STRAW BALLAST CAR Filed March 14. 1927, 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 24, 1928.

B. W. STRAW BALLAST CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD W. STRAW. OF MOUNT AIRY, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO STRIUV BALLAST DISTRIBUTOR CORPORATION, DELAWARE.

OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF BALLAST CAR.

Application filed March 14, 1927. Serial No. 175,339.

This invention relates to a car structure, and more particularly to a car structure of the hopper type.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel ear structure adapted for use as a hopper car, or as a ballast carrying and discharging car.

A further object of this invention is to provide a. novel hopper and ballast distributing car which is so constructed that it may be en'iployed, at will, to airy and discharge lading, such for example as coal, or to transport and discharge ballast in a predetermined manner, the structural elements permitting this double use being a permanent part of the car structure.

Another object is to provide a railway hopper car embodying novel. means whereby said car may be employed to selectively, or simultaneously, discharge ballast to any desired portion, or portions, of a track ballast cross-section.

A still further object is to provide a novel railway -ar structure for discharging ballast. said car embodying manually operable means for accurately controlling the distribution or discharge of the ballast to a selected portion, or portions, of a track ballast cross-section, whereby manual handling of the ballast may be avoided in part or in whole.

Another object of my invention, generally considered. is the provision of a hopper car formed with the usual discharge door and provided with apertures equipped with doors located in the floor and sides of one or more of said portions of the hopper or hoppers thereof, which doors are preferably of the sliding type and adapted for being opened or closed any desired amount while the car is loaded for accurately distril'iuting ballast or other material therefrom, as needed.

An object of my invention is the provision of a ballast distributing car provided with one or more hoppers extending from the bottom thereof, which hoppers preferably each comprise a sloping bottom wall,

side walls and a swinging door adapted to close the main or discharge opening there from, said sloping floor being apertured and means being provided for closing or opening said apertures to the desired extent for even- 'ly distributing material therethrough, as

needed.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a car formed with one or more hoppers extending downwardly from the floor thereof, each hopper having a swinging door adapted to quickly release the lading of the "211' and provided with apcrtured side walls, doors being provided for releasing the lading through said apertures at an accurately regulated rate for distributing material to the sides of the car, as needed.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a ballast distributing car formed with a body and one or more hoppers depending therefrom, each hopper having a main opening therein closed by a swinging door for quickly releasing ballast or other material contained in the car. each of said. hoppers involving a sloping bottom sheet and side sheets with apertures provided in all of said sheets and sliding doors normally closing said apertures and adapted for being opened to permit a graduated and accurately controlled flow of ballast beneath and to the sides of the ca 1'. as desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and combination of the various parts will become apparent as the description procoeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims:

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a hopper car. particularly showing one of the hop ers depending from the car body.

Figure 2 is a sectional, view on the line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrow...

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 44- of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated bylike reference characters, I have illustrated, fragmentarily, a car 1 which is desirably of the hopper type and provided With one or more hoppers 2 depending from the body 3 thereof. In the embodiment shown, the at is of the type in which a pairo l' hoppers is providedon.each side ofthe center sills thereof, the hoppers of each pair discharging longitudinally of the ca r toward each other -t=lnougl1 apertures 4- adapted to be closed by door-s5. said doors being preferably hinged at their upper ends as indicated at 6 and provided with any desired type of latch 7 pivoted to the side sheet 9 of the hopper and adapted to engage a stiffener or spreader member ,9 on the door and held in latched position by means of a locking cam 10. The atoredescribed .construction is merely that of an ordinary form of hopper car in which my invention to be hereinafter described may be embodied and it is obvious that said invention may be .embodied in other types ol cars. .i' desired.

For forming: Ethe hoppers 52., inclined bottom plates or slope Sheets Ill are provided connecting); the sides Sol the hoppers and .exteudiug from the bottom of the {main body of the car to the bottom o;l the opening et in vthe hopper. (line or more apertures 12 are provided in each of these floor plates 11 said aperitiu'es preferably lying near the lower edge of the bottom sheet. Along the sides of the aperturec'l portions of the slopin plates ll. guide strips 13 are pro-v.ic,.;l preferably connected to said bottom sheets by rivets 14 with the side edges thereof spaced from said bottom sheets by filler strips 15, rvher guiding grooves 1.6 are 'nzovidcd in which sliiilinedoors 1.7 are movable for opening and closing; the apertures 12. The guide strips 13 and filler strips 15 also serve as reinforcing means for the bottom sheets of the hopper as will be nnderstood.

As a means for moving said sliding dot-11' 1? to release ballast or other material in the car for dist-r option on the road bed at a desired rate. operating lev. 18 are provided preferably centrally pivoted with respect to tile car by means of a bolt 1:9 extending; through a plate 520 connected .at or. ends to the inner guiding ,St-llllH l3 and bottom sheets 11. by common rivets 14.. F or operatively connecting the operating lever 18 to a door 17. a link 21 is desirably provided, connected. at one end, to an intermediate portion of the lever by pivot means 22, and. at the other end, preferably extending beneath a U-Sllaped strap 23 connected to the door by means of rivets 24: and pivotally connected With respect to both said strap and door by means of a rivet, bolt or other pivotal n'ieans 25. In order to place the pivotal means 22 in double shear for more securely connecting the lever 18 to the link 21, astrap portion 26 preferably riveted to and extends from the link 21. being spaced from said link on the other side of the operating lever 1.8. forming, a bifurcated end on said link for receiving an intermediate portion of said. lever. The rivet orother means 22 then exten through the members 21. 18 and 26 in the order given. In order to hold the hill 21 and the connecting lever 18 in proper position "with re 'spect to the slope sheet lit, said link and connected portion 26 preferably extend be tween the sheet 11 and the U-shaped guide members 2.7.

The foregoing description applies to the construction for the sliding doors 11' disposed adjacent the center sills or longituj nal center line of the car on if only "one opening is provided in each sloping bottom sheet, it applies to the construction of the door and operating: .uiechanism for the same. When, however, as illustrated in Figure 2, a pair of openings 17 are provided in each sloping bottom sheet 11,. .a similar construction is applicable to the outer .doors 1? and operating mechanism therefor except that the operating levers 18 "for said -out\\1a.rdly spaced doors 1;? are prcitera'lily pivoted as indicated at 19 'to that portion of the bottom sheet between the openings 12 tlricrein and connected to the respective (.loor by a corrm spending: link 21 QXteDtliiDg under guiding means 27 and pivotally connected to the door as indicated at The pivotal .eonnection between the link 21 and the lever 18 is indicated at 22.

The aforedescribed construction provides for distributing ballast or other material on the road-bed beneath the car and particu larly adjacent and between the rails of the track. F or distributing such material to the sides of the car and outside of :the ties, an open-inn 28 is preferably provided. on the outer side sheet of each oi the hoppers 2. These openings 28 are preterably po med near the doors 5 but spaced tlicretrom an amount sufiicient to allow for the applica tion of the door-latching means 7. As described in connection ivith the apertures 12. the apertures 28 are desirably like A vided with sliding; doors 2.) supported and lnofiable with respect to guiding strips 30 spaced from the side sheet .8 by men filler strips 31. said guiding and filler strips being; preferably connected to the corre sponding side sheet 8 by means of rivets The operating mechanism for the door may correspond with that for the doors 1'? and involve an operating, lever 33 pivotally connected to the upper guiding and re nforcing strip 30 by means of a belt or other pivotal means 34 and connected to the door by a link 35 pivotally mounted on said door by a rivet or the like 36 extending tl'ironngh the door and .U-shaped bearing means 37, The other end of said link 35 is preferablv provided with an auxiliary portion 38 form ing a bifurcated end on said link emln'aoin tilt tit)

an intermediate portion of the lever and pivotally connected thereto by means of a rivet or other pintle 39. For guiding the link 35 and lever 33, a Ushaped member it) connected to the door 29 by means of rivet or the like it is preferably provideiil.

In order to prevent interference between the levers 18, 18 and 33. and portions of the hopper as well as interference between the levers l8 and it and, at the same time, provide proper clearance for manually gripping said levers, the free ends of all of said levers are n'eterably spaced from the corresponding portions of the hopper. as illustrated, the end of the longer lever 18 being spaced approximately twice as far as the end of the lever 18 spaced so as to conveniently clear said lever 18 and prevent pinching of the operators hand therebetween.

The operation of a car embodying my invention for distrilmting ballast or other ma terial on the ground or road-bed of a railroad is as "follows. Assuming that the car 1 is filled with ballast which it is desired to spread evenly over the road-bed For improving the condition thereot. the swinging door 5 is retained shut while the operator walks beside the car while the same is drawn at a. slow, rate of speed along the track being worked, said operator manipulating the levers 18, 18* and 33 to distribute ballast at the desired rate of flow adjacent the center of the track, adjacent the rails and beyond the ties, respectively, in accordance with conditions prevailing on the particular piece of track. On account ol having the doors slidable rather than swinging as in the case with the door 5. said doors can be closed as well as opened while the car is loaded with ballast so that it is unnecessary to discharge the ballast in a large quantity at one place and the same may be distributed only where needed, thereby obviating the necessity of smoothing oil the ballast to any appreciable extent or using a steam shovel or the like tor spreading the same after being initially applied to the road-bed. Although I have illustrated a particular type of sliding door for the purpose (it releasing the ballast at a graduated rate of flow. it is obvious that I do not wish to be limited to such a showing as other types of doors per mitting such graduated release of the ballast from the side and bottom walls or certain of said walls of the hopper may be employed, within the spirit at the invention.

From the foregoing disclosure of my invention, it will be apparent that T have de vised a. vehicle particularly adapted for use as a ballast distributing car on a. railway. which car is adapted to evenly distribute ballast or deposit the same in accurately graduated amount where needed. thereby obviating the old practice of discharging the ballast in large quantities and then laboriously spreading the same to the desired amount. Although the operation of the sliding doors tor a particular hopper by a single operator has been described, it is obvious that an operator may be positioned at each side or the car so as to simultaneously discharge lading from a plurality ot transwrsely spaced hoppers whereby the entire cross section of the I'Oilt'l-llttl may have ballast applied thereto simultaneously.

Having now described my invention. I. claim:

1. A vehicle formed with a hopper comprising a sloping door and side walls, and provided with a discharge opening, a door closing said opening, the sloping floor of said hopper being formed with an aperture therein and means for gradually opening and closing said aperture while the vehicle is loaded for distributing material therefrom.

2. A vehicle "formed with a body for holding granular material, a. hopper extending from said body and formed with a sloping floor, side walls and a discharge opening, a door closing said opening, the sloping floor of said hopper being formed with an aperture therein and closure means for said aperture adapted for gradual operation to release said material, as needed, for spreading it beneath the vehicle.

3. A vehicle formed with a hopper comprising a sloping tloor, side walls and a door closing a discharge opening therein, a side wall of said hopper being formed with an aperture therein and means for gradually opening and closing said aperture while the vehicle is loaded for distributing material from the same.

1. A vehicle formed with a body and. a

hopper extending therefrom, said hopper being formed with a sloping floor, side walls and a door closing a discharge opening thereof. a side wall of said hopper being apertured and a door adapted for gradual ope ation to open and close said aperture and rel a.se material. as needed, for spreading it to the side of the vehicle.

A vehicle termed with a body and a hopper extending therefrom and having a sloping floor, side walls and a door closing a discharge opening thereof, said floor and side walls being apertured and means adapted for gradual operation to open and close said apertures while the vehicle is loaded and distribute material therethrough, beneath and to the sides of said vehicle.

(3. A car termed with a body for holding granular material, a hopper extending from the bottom of said body and formed with a sloping tloor, side walls and a door for discharging the load from the -body, the sloping floor of said hopper being provided with an aperture therein, a door adapted to close said aperture and .ineanr; tor opcratin said. door While the car is loaded to gradually release material from the car. as needed, and distribute the same.

7. A. car formed with a. body for holding g anular n'iaterial. a hopper extending ilron'i the bottom of said Jody and conipriisinp a elo 'iii'igg lloor. side walls and a door for hie.-

(Jl'ldi' c;ll'l{- n'iaterial th -re1l:'rom. the sides of said hopper being apertured doors adapted to close said apertures and meai'io tor operating said. doors to releaae material trom the car. as needed. for spreading at thesidea thereof.

8. A hopper ar formed with a door for diachareing ballast "from a hopper therein. said hopper being formed with a slo 'iing floor provided with an aperture therein, a sliding doo' adapted to close said aperture and means for operating: said door while the car is loaded to gradually (.liatrihute ballast from said car.

9. A. hopper car formed with a door for (.li5(.'l1ll' fllfl 1 ballaet from a hopper therein. .siaid hopper being formed with a aide \rall I'M'OVliIl'i l with an aperture therein. a sliding door tor closing; said a ierturr and means for j adually iiiperating said door While the car loaded for diotrilmtii'ig ballast to the side of the car. as needed.

iii. A hopper car proxdded with a door tor discharging ballast from a hopper therein, eaid hopper comprising a Sl(i])l1'];,1' l-loor pro rided with an. aperture therein. guiding llltjlflkt alone the side edges of said 2 perture. a door slidahly mounted in said Quii'lhur merino. an operating; lever pivotally mounted with respect to said hopper. and a link conmeeting: said door With an intermediate por tion ot said lever. whereby said door may be opened and eloeed to the desired extent upon inanipulatinesaid lever.

ii. A hopper car formed with a door tor discharging ballast from a hopper thereof. said hopper coinpriz iine an exterior side sheet formed with an aperture therein. guiding means connected to said sheet adjacent the sides of said aperture. :1 door elidably i'uonnted in said guiding mean. an operating; lever pivotally connected to said side sheet at one end and adapted to he inann ally grasped at the other end and alinl; connecting said door to an interu'iediate portion of said lever. whereby movement of said lever opens; or closes said door to the desired extent.

12. In a car structure. a hopper having a ladinp; :li;-.-'charge opening and a 'iluri-rlity of ballast discl'iarge openings therein. means for cloningsaid ladiug discharge opening. and means for closing said ballast discharge openings.

13. In a car strnction. a hopper provided With a lading discharge o ix-sninpg and a hallast diecl'iargo opening. pivoted means for closing said lading discharge opening, and olidahle means for closing said hallae discharge opening.

14:. In a car structure. a hopper having a hiding diacl'iarge (queuing therein and one or norc ballast discharging: opei'iines therein,

said ballast discharge openii'reindependently of the lading discharge opening.

16. A. con'ibined hopper and ballast car structure comprising a hopper having a plurality of openings therein. one of said opening's comtitotinga ladingg dieeharp'o 0peninn. means normally cloning oaid ladinp; discharge opening. slidahle means for cloning the remainder of said openings. and mann ally operable means tor moving said Slidaliile means to and trom oloried position.

In testimony whereof l altix my signature.

BERNARD V. STRAVV. 

